DID YOU READ

Five Kickstarter-funded comic book documentaries to look out for

If you need $100 million to make a CGI-heavy action film, the project-funding website Kickstarter should definitely not be the first place you look. However, Kickstarter is becoming a hot spot to hunt down dollars for more modest indie projects, and comics-related documentary pitches in particular are becoming more and more common.

Five such comics documentaries have met their funding needs, and the dollar amounts they’ve been able to raise are impressive. Their topics range from historical investigations into censorship to massive interview compilations looking at what current creators grew up reading and what goes on behind the industry’s closed doors.

Creators Dave Kellett and Fred Schroeder set out to make a feature-length documentary about where comics come from and where they are headed. With at least 60 interviews from around the industry, it looks like they’re already off to a great start.

They initially sought $58,000 for “Stripped,” but funding has since eclipsed the $100,000 mark. If their scope and Kickstarter success translate into a story that’s as fascinating as their trailer suggests, Kellett and Schroeder could set a new standard for future producers and directors to look at.

“Warren Ellis: Captured Ghosts”

Status: Funded!

If you spend any time at all on the Internet or reading comic books, you should already be at least casually familiar with writer Warren Ellis. The filmmakers, Patrick Meaney and Jordan Rennert already have one comic-creator doc under their belt with “Grant Morrison: Talking With Gods” (2010), and their ambitious follow-up aims to dissect one of the medium’s most beloved (and foul-mouthed) visionaries.

You may have to keep the little ones away from this film, but it’s sure to be an interesting watch.

“Untold Tales of the Comic Book Industry”

Status: Funded!

Spearheaded by comic book writer Brandon Jerwa, “Untold Tales” lays out a few of the same premises as “Stripped,” but seems to focus more on the rising and falling of the superhero market. The interviews in the trailer capture a behind-the-scenes feel from the periphery of the convention scene, and Jerwa is pooling the insights from publishers, as well as big-name creators such as Erik Larsen and Ben Templesmith.

It’s a documentary being made with love, and we look forward to seeing what emerges from Jerwa’s efforts, especially now that it has eclipsed the $19,000 mark on Kickstarter.

“Diagram for Delinquents”

Status: Funded!

If you thought that video games were the biggest over-blown threat ever to attract government attention, you may need to track down a copy of director Robert A. Emmons, Jr.’s film about the greatest real-life villain ever to attack comic books. “Diagram for Delinquents” looks at the life and work of psychiatrist and Seduction of the Innocent author Fredric Wertham.

Wertham’s efforts triggered book burnings and even congressional hearings that pushed comics publishers into a new era. The trailer has character, and the topics Emmons addresses will be of interest to comics readers from any decade.

“Cartoon College”

Status: Initial goal reached, but have since asked for $6000 more

Have you ever wanted to go to school to become a cartoonist? Filmmakers Tara Wray and Josh Melrod set out to see what goes on in the lives of students at Vermont’s Center for Cartoon Studies. They traveled around the U.S. and Canada interviewing professors and creators and seeing where students traveled to get their work out into the wild.

Judging from their description, “Cartoon College” may have the best diversity of sources of any of these documentaries. Moreover, they are also analyzing how the nature of the industry impacts the lives of aspiring artists.

Which one of these comic book documentaries makes you want to check it out? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook or Twitter.

The Best Of The Last

The end is near. In mere days Portlandia wraps up its final season, and oh what a season it’s been. Lucky for you, you can watch the entire season right now right here and on the IFC app, including this free episode courtesy of Subaru.

But now, let’s take a moment to look back at some of the new classics Fred and Carrie have so thoughtfully bestowed upon us. (We’ll be looking back through tear-blurred eyes, but you do you.)

Couples Dinner

It’s not that being single sucks, it’s that you suck if you’re single.

Cancel it!

A sketch for anyone who has cancelled more appointments than they’ve kept. Which is everyone.

Forgotten America

This one’s a “Serial” killer…everything both right and wrong about true crime podcasts.

Wedding Planners

The only bad wedding is a boring wedding.

Disaster Hut

It’s only the end of the world if your doomsday kit doesn’t include rosé.

Your Portlandia Personality Test

Carrie and Fred understand that although we have so much in common, we’re each so beautifully unique and different. To help us navigate those differences, Portlandia has found an easy and honest way to embrace our special selves in the form of a progressive new traffic system: a specific lane for every kind of driver. It’s all in honor of the show’s 8th and final season, and it’s all presented by Subaru.

Ready to find out who you really are? Match your personality to a lane and hop on the expressway to self-understanding.

Lane 10: Trucks Piled With Junk

Your junk is falling out of your trunk. Shake a tail light, people — this lane is for you.

Lane 33: Twins

You’re like a Gemini, but waaaay more pedestrian. Maybe you and a friend just wear the same outfits a lot. Who cares, it’s just twinning enough to make you feel special.

Lane 27: Broken Windows

Bad luck follows you around and everyone knows it. Your proverbial seat is always damp from proverbial rain. Is this the universe telling you to swallow your pride? Yes.

Lane 69: Filthy Cars

You’re all about convenience. Getting your car washed while you drive is a no-brainer.

Lane 43: Newly Divorced Singles

It’s been a while since you’ve driven alone, and you don’t know the rules of the road anymore. What’s too fast? What’s too slow? Are you sending the right signals? Don’t worry, the breakdown lane is nearby if you need it.

Still can’t find a lane to match your personality? Check out all the videos here. And see the final season of Portlandia this spring on IFC.

Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the final countdown to Christmas and thanks to IFC’s movie marathon all Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, you can revel in classic ’80s films AND find inspiration for your last-minute gifts. Here are our recommendations, if you need a head start:

Musical Instrument

Great analog entertainment substitute when you refuse to give your kid the Nintendo Switch they’ve been drooling over.

Breakfast In Bed

Any significant other or child would appreciate these Uncle Buck-approved flapjacks. Just make sure you’re not stuck on clean up duty.

Cocktail Supplies

You’ll need them to get through the holidays.

Dance Lessons

So you can learn to shake-shake-shake (unless you know ghosts willing to lend a hand).

Comfy Clothes

With all the holiday meals, there may be some…embigenning.

Get even more great inspiration all Christmas Eve and Day on IFC, and remember…